Listed below are 11 types of magazine articles you can consider writing. Each one has it own requirements and purposes.
The Devotional Article helps readers understand a biblical principle by applying a passage of Scripture to a life example. Devotionals are often short pieces of 300 words or less, but there are markets that accept longer readings.
The How-To Article is self-explanatory. This is a wide market as there are niche magazines for every subject imaginable.
Inspirational Articles are often based on personal experience (someone’s, if not yours), and inspire the reader. Think Chicken Soup for the Soul and Guideposts.
The True Adventure Article is a true story about someone’s adventure. My story “Run the Rapids with Joy,” which appeared in The Vision, is about my personal experience whitewater rafting and the lesson I learned from it.
Seasonal Articles are also self-explanatory. Timing is critical with type of article because print magazines are written and sent to print 3-6 months ahead of the season. If a magazine takes seasonal articles be sure to note the lead time they require.
The Humorous Article, think Dave Barry, Erma Bombeck, and Patsy Clairmont.
The Personality Profile. Celebrities exist from the local all the way to international level. Leaders exist in business, sports, non-profit organizations, and the academic world as well as what we often think about as celebrities in music and movies. Trade magazines are a good market.
The Expository Article expounds on its topic.
The Feature Article is the bread and butter of most magazines and can be expository, descriptive, or narrative. These articles often read more like stories and are the longest articles in the magazine. They are most often written on assignment only.
The Investigative Article exposes the truth.
The Argumentative Article argues a position. If you are good at debating, this is probably a good category for you.
If you are a regular subscriber of one or two specific magazines, consider how their articles fit into the following categories. Then think about whether you can write an article that will fit that magazine and begin to develop your ideas.
If aren’t a regular reader of any one magazine, consider these categories and brainstorm several ideas for each. Begin to develop those ideas with the most promise and move forward from there.
In what category do you find yourself writing the most? Leave a comment below.